The president is coming - but who's footing the bill?

Laura Dolce

Thursday

Jun 28, 2007 at 2:00 AM

KENNEBUNKPORT — Come Monday night, Kennebunkport Police Chief Joe Bruni may have a headache from dealing with all the traffic woes and other details surrounding the planned July 1 visit President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin will make to the Bush summer home at Walker's Point.

KENNEBUNKPORT — Come Monday night, Kennebunkport Police Chief Joe Bruni may have a headache from dealing with all the traffic woes and other details surrounding the planned July 1 visit President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin will make to the Bush summer home at Walker's Point.

But come Tuesday morning, Bruni has another headache coming: Figuring out how to pay for all of the police protection two world leaders need when they come to town. That's because while agencies like the Secret Service and even the U.S. Coast Guard will assist with security, when it comes to the amount of police coverage needed, it's the local department — and the local taxpayers — who foot the bill.

That means the department, which normally carries 13 full-time employees and at least six part-time summer officers, will not only be running full-out for the next week, but it may be left with some financial juggling to do when Bush pulls out of town.

Back in March, Bruni expressed his concern over covering the cost of the president's visits to town. His department, he said, spent around $9,000 for police protection each time 43 came to town. For a few years, that didn't trouble Bruni much, since the department had been awarded a Homeland Security grant for $27,000 and he'd made it last for three years. With that program at an end, though, the town would now be expected to absorb the cost on its own.

"We may have to take less of a role," Bruni said at the time. "I hope they come less ...;"

That, it's now clear, is not the case. Not only is 43 coming this year, but now he's bringing Putin — and the eyes of the world — to Kennebunkport. And with both Bush and Putin in town, anti-war advocates have planned a march for Sunday expected to draw up to 2,000 protesters from around the country.

With so many people in town (adding in tourists and the media), Bruni said his priority will still be on the folks who were here before all the excitement started.

"We're putting together a plan to first and foremost keep our local citizens safe," he said.

As for the protesters, Bruni said he'll make sure they stay safe as well.

"Everyone has a God-given right to protest," he said. "We just ask that they do it in a safe and orderly fashion. And we ask that people have some consideration for our residents. They didn't ask for this."

Neither did Bruni, yet he's spent the past several days poring over charts and in closed-door meetings going over security details.

But with only 13 full-time officers, there was no question of the department going it alone.

With that in mind, Bruni has put out a call for help to neighboring departments from as close by as Wells and Kennebunk and as far away as York and Kittery. In addition, he'll receive assistance from the Maine State Police, York County Sheriff's Department and, of course, the U.S. Secret Service.

Ultimately, though, the final tally for overtime hours could turn the weekend into what Bruni calls a "budget breaker."

One way for Bruni to get the help he needs — and maybe not foot the whole bill himself — is to get other departments to not only lend their officers, but pay for them, too.

Kennebunk Director of Police Services Michael Pardue said that's what his department plans to do, although all of the details hadn't been worked out yet.

But the bottom line, as Pardue sees it, is if Kennebunkport needs help, Kennebunk will be the first to supply it.

"Joe Bruni has my pledge," he said.

Kennebunkport Town Manager Larry Mead said the town may look for grants and other assistance when everything is over and the final tally is known.

"We'll let our friends at the federal level know [how much it cost]," Mead said. "It never hurts to ask."

One blessing, he said, is that the visit and the need for security officially begins today — and the new fiscal year doesn't start until Sunday — so the burden will be divided.

"It will be split between two budget years," Mead said. "And that helps."

Still, with everyone's safety at stake, he said the town won't be looking to pinch pennies.

"We won't scrimp," Mead said. "We'll do whatever we have to do to provide for the safety of not only the presidents but everyone in town."

Of course, Kennebunkport won't be the only town affected by the President's visit. The traffic situation in Kennebunk may not be entirely without its challenges as well. With estimates of everywhere from several hundred to several thousand protesters expected on Sunday, the traffic coming in from the highway and making its way to the Port could be heavy. Some of that will be alleviated by the protesters' own plans, Pardue said.

"The protesters will be parking at the high school and using shuttle buses to get people back and forth," he said. "That should help limit the amount of traffic impact."

But with the school parking lot only able to accommodate between 400 and 500 cars, Pardue said a bigger crowd could mean big problems for the town.

"Overflow from that will be a challenge," he said of protesters in search of parking.

With Bush expected to arrive as early as today, Kennebunk

port residents could see traffic start to gum up sporadically, with no relief in sight until late Monday at the earliest.

And over in Kennebunk, they'll be feeling the pinch as well. Pardue said Kennebunk would experience "temporary, short-term" closures when Bush and Putin are brought in. While the exact route they'll take is not being released due to security reasons, Bush is usually brought into town from Sanford Regional Airport, where Air Force One lands, and along Route 35 or 99, crossing over Route 1. Residents can expect roads to be temporarily closed along the way.

While White House officials have not released an official schedule yet, word around town has Bush arriving today with Putin expected some time late Saturday or early Sunday.

Of course, police officials aren't the only ones worried about how bad the traffic might get.

Over at Second Chance Whale Watch in the Port, General Manager Marge Keller said she's worried that whale watch guests might get so caught up in traffic that they'll miss the boat — literally.

"The traffic is going to be an issue of major proportions," she said.

But if traffic on the roads is a worry, traffic on the water is another thing.

"We can still travel," she said. "We just have to stay outside of the containment buoys, which are always moved back when the president is in town."

But if some folks in town are worried about everyone descending on their little town, others are thrilled with exactly that.

"You can't buy this kind of publicity," said Kennebunk Kennebunkport Chamber of Commerce President Dick Leeman. "Every major news organization in the world, from Al Jazeera to CNN to ABC News ...; will carry the dateline 'Kennebunkport.' And they'll be doing soft stories, too, and they'll be here for four days. Everyone will want a shot of Bush Sr. and the president and Putin maybe pulling in a fish out on the boat. It's all wonderful stuff for this area."

Leeman said he hadn't heard any merchants express concern over any potential negative impact from the visit. In fact, he said, he's heard exactly the opposite.

"This will continue to sell [Kennebunkport] long after this visit," he said. "People will be going to travel agents all throughout the world. We'll get a big hit as a result."

While the Fourth of July week is one the merchants traditionally gear up for, the hoopla surrounding this weekend's visit should make this year's holiday week the best one yet, Leeman said.

"I think merchants will see a big uptick this week," he said. "And we're all ready."

Across town at Patten Berry Farm, a favorite of the elder Bushes, employee Diane Callaghan said they'd stocked up on some extra strawberries for the weekend ahead.

"We're real excited," she said. "It's not too often you have three presidents in the same town."

And while Callaghan said she expects things to get "a little congested" on Sunday, it's a small price to pay for seeing history unfold.

"Everyone in town seems to be looking forward to it," she said.

Over on Ocean Avenue, at another of the Bushes' haunts, Mabel's Lobster Claw co-owner Robert Fischer said he already had plenty of advance reservations for the weekend, but was confident that people would be able to get around town — especially for dinner.

Fischer's counting on it, in fact, by "going heavy, food-wise, for the long weekend." Anticipating he'll go through about 200 pounds of lobster a night, he's ordered in an extra 400 pounds for the weekend. And how does he plan to handle it all?

"By trying to remain calm and be consistent," he said. "And stay out of the politics."

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